Department of
Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine

Practice Based Learning

Residents must be able to demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their diagnostic and consultative practices, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence and improve their patient care practices. Microbiology is a highly technical field demanding constant quality control reviews, integration, and interpretive skills. During the rotation the resident will learn background and didactic knowledge of assays performed in the microbiology laboratory. The resident will then be responsible for combining this didactic knowledge with technical aspects of the assays in order to begin to understand issues related to specimen collection, specimen adequacy, quality control and principles of microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. In addition to responses to questions assigned during interactive discussions at daily lab rounds regarding quality monitoring and improvement, residents will be evaluated based upon their ability to:

  • Effectively locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to novel assays or technologies as well as patients’ health care in infectious diseases (junior level)
  • Analyze practice experiences and perform practice-based improvement activities using a systematic methodology (senior level)
  • Integrate skills with medical knowledge to prepare and deliver lecturers (junior level) and/or written projects (senior level) as appropriate
  • Participate in monthly Clinical Pathology Quality Assurance Committee meetings (all levels)
  • Efficiently utilize available technologies for information management and in support of their own education advancement (all levels)

Evaluation

  • Rotation evaluation
  • Review of resident portfolio yearly to assess improvement and discuss self-education